Blood and Gold
by AmberLS123
Summary: Basil is shangheighed into service aboard the "Felicia," captained by none other than the most notorious pirate in the Carribbean... Captain Padraic Ratigan. Other GMD characters will make appearances, along with several OCs. Cover Image (c)NightMagican (used with permission)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

As dark storm clouds lingered on the horizon, two ships cut through the waters of the Caribbean, one in hot pursuit of the other. The _H. M. S. Intrepid_, one of Mousedom's finest military vessels, cut through the waves smoothly as she sailed at full speed towards her target. The ship was a flurry of activity as the crew hurried about to do their tasks.

A young mouse by the name of Basil Brettman felt a thrill of excitement course through his veins. He knew a pirate ship when he saw one. He hadn't been in the service for quite two years yet, but he already had plenty of experience dealing with them. An excellent swordsmouse, he'd proven himself within a month of joining, and quickly rose through the ranks. However, despite his skills, the one thing he seemed to have a problem with was following the strict rules and regulations. Added to the fact that he was a bit hot-headed and stubborn, and it wasn't difficult to guess that he stayed in trouble often. He'd lost count of the times he'd been disciplined for fighting, disobeying orders, or just for ticking off one of the crew for his little habit of deducing every detail about them. In fact, he had lost his position because of his insubordination.

Now his main duties consisted of performing the most menial tasks such as swabbing the deck, washing dishes, cleaning, cooking, etc. But whenever a ship came into view, he would quickly take his place among the crew to help trim the sails and prepare the cannons.

"Step lively men!" Lieutenant Geoffrey Gibson called out as he bustled by, hurrying up the stairs to the helm. As Basil helped to secure one of the lines, he overheard Gibson speaking with Commodore Thomas Grayson.

"Is she flying any colors?" the burly mouse asked.

"No," the Commodore replied, lowering his spyglass. He gave his lieutenant a knowing glance. "But she has red sails."

Gibson's eyes widened. "_The Felicia_," he stated, unable to hide a slight trace of fear in his voice.

A chill ran down Basil's spine, for _The Felicia_ was captained by none other than the infamous Padraic Ratigan, one of the most notorious and bloodthirsty pirates in the Caribbean. But with that storm coming up so fast, it would be pointless to give pursuit now.

"Um, sir?" Basil finally spoke up, unable to hold his tongue any longer. "Is it really such a good idea to go sailing straight into a storm like this?"

The Commodore, a mouse with dark brown fur who was only a few years older than Basil, didn't even look in his direction as he sighed exasperatingly.

"Mr. Gibson, kindly escort this mouse back to the galley where he belongs."

Growling in annoyance, Basil wrenched his arm from the lieutenant's grasp before he could drag him away.

"Even with _the Intrepid_ being the fastest ship in the Caribbean," he insisted, "we'll never catch them. I mean, squalls like this are dangerous enough on their own, and we'll lose the pirates in the fog. Plus there's always the chance of running aground or being dashed to pieces on the rocks—"

"We've weathered through worst storms than this, as you well know. And in case you've forgotten, we are on a mission, Mr. Basil, a mission to catch these pirates so that they'll receive the justice they deserve."

Basil balled his hands up into fists by his side. "It all boils down to the fact that you're willing to risk the lives of your own crew on the exceedingly slim chance that you might finally capture the pirate who's led you on a wild goose chase all these months—"

"Mr. Basil, that's quite enough!" Grayson shouted angrily, eyes flashing like daggers as he whirled around to face the insolent mouse. "You no longer hold a position of rank on this ship, and this cheeky behavior is exactly what got you demoted in the first place." Basil winced. He just _had_ to bring that up, didn't he? As Grayson grabbed Basil by his shirt collar, it took every ounce of self-control not to punch the Commodore in the face then and there in front of the entire crew. "However," Grayson hissed in his face, "I will not put up with it any longer. You're lucky I don't give you a few lashes to teach you a lesson. Now I suggest you straighten up and learn to follow orders before I have to take any further disciplinary action against you. Understood?"

The defeated mouse felt his cheeks burning in embarrassment as he averted his eyes to the floor. "Aye," he muttered quietly.

"Aye, what?" Grayson prodded.

Basil ground his teeth together before replying more loudly. "Aye… _sir_."

"Good. Now get back to your post." Basil quickly whirled around, feeling all eyes on him as he retreated, hanging his head in humiliation.

"And Mr. Basil…" Grayson added.

Basil halted, rolling his eyes irately, not even bothering to turn around to face the Commodore again.

"This is your _final_ warning."

Seething with rage, Basil hastily descended the steps into the hold, away from the burning glances and shaking heads of the crew.

….

An hour later, the storm hit. The lightening crackled across the sky and the thunder roared deafeningly. The wind howled around the ship like a siren, the rain pouring in sheets as if the bottom of the clouds had dropped out. The timbers of the ship groaned and creaked as it was battered about unmercifully, waves washing up onto the deck and almost washing some of the men overboard.

Deep in the hold, Basil staggered forward unsteadily. _What did I tell you?_ he thought bitterly, hoping the Commodore was happy with himself. _Probably locked up in his cabin sulking-_

Basil fell against the wall as the ship lurched suddenly, and a moment later there was the sharp crack of splintering wood as the ship crashed against something. The force knocked Basil down to the floor, and though he tried to roll out of the way, a large beam came crashing down on him from the ceiling. The impact with his skull caused him to groan in pain, and his world turned dark as he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Author's Note: ...I _really_ shouldn't be starting another story... but I am anyway xD This will basically be a story about the Great Mouse Detective characters in a pirate universe. I've decided to call it "Blood and Gold" based on a song that my friend NightMagican on deviantART told me about.**

**_Basil and Ratigan (c) Eve Titus and Disney  
Thomas Grayson and Geoffrey Gibson (c) me_**

***Sidenote: "Brettman" is my version of a last name for Basil because... well, "_Basil_ Rathbone" + Jeremy "_Brett_" = two famous actors to portray Sherlock Holmes.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Awoken by the cries of seagulls overhead, Basil winced as he came to, letting out a painful groan. He reached up to touch the back of his throbbing head only to find that he couldn't move. Looking around frantically, he realized that he was trapped beneath the beam that had fallen on top of him, along with more rubble from the ceilling. He managed to lift his head enough to look to the right and see the waves lapping against the rocks they had crashed into through several gaping holes in the side of the ship. The Intrepid had been completely destroyed. It was a wonder she hadn't sunk, though he thanked fortune for that, or else he'd have woken up in Davy Jones' Locker.

Wondering if any other crew members had survived, he began to call out weakly, trying to gain someone's attention. Surely they hadn't all been lost…

After a while, as his voice strained from overuse, he heard footsteps on the deck above. Well, what was left of the deck, anyway. "Ahoy!" he shouted. "Down here!"

As more footsteps pattered across the deck, Basil's heart leapt with joy. They had heard him! He was saved—

However, as the source of the footprints descended the stairs and came into view, Basil's blood ran cold, for his rescuers were not his former shipmates…

"Well, well, what 'ave we got here, mates?" a rough looking mouse wearing a striped shirt and red bandana wrapped around his head remarked as he sauntered toward Basil, followed by three others. Basil struggled frantically beneath the wreckage, grunting with effort.

"Floppin' around like a bloomin' fish, he is!" a shorter stocky mouse remarked, earning chuckles from his companions. Basil tried unsuccessfully to stifle a groan as the weight of the beam shifted, threatening to crush him.

"We should put 'im out of 'is misery…" a bizarre bat with a peg leg remarked, his voice harsh and grating. Basil shuddered at the voice and the wicked grin he gave him as he drew a sharp dagger from his belt.

"Yeah, yeah, carve 'im up real nice and slow…" said another, this one a tall green lizard wearing boots that buckled all the way up to his knees.

"An' then feed 'im to the sharks!" another mouse said excitedly, waving a hook that seemed to have been a replacement for his missing left hand.

"_Nej_," another said a commanding voice which Basil recognized as being Danish. A young handsome mouse, wearing a long black coat lined with red and decorated with silver buttons, along with a large hat with red and black feathers, came into view as he descended the stairs. His fur had a reddish tint to it, all except for the dark, almost black area around the eyes. He also wore an eye patch; but his one good eye, the iris a steely gray, glared down at his subordinates, causing them to shuffle nervously. Basil eyed the belt slung across his shoulder, holding a pistol and cutlass, knowing that he wouldn't hesitate to use them. "You heard the Captain," he reprimanded. "Any survivors are to be delivered to him for questioning."

"S-Sorry, sir," the bat nervously apologized, quickly putting his knife away while the others did the same.

"I won't tell you filthy pirates a bloody thing!" Basil growled.

Instead of getting angry, the red-furred mouse smiled down at his prisoner. "Oh, I'm sure your tongue will loosen up by the time the Captain is through with you." He nodded at the others. "Get him out of there. And try to keep him in one piece."

"Aye aye, Mr. Lehmann," they replied, throwing awkward salutes as they hurried to carry out his order.

Once they managed to lift the beam enough to drag him out, Basil immediately began fighting to get away. His fist made contact with the lizard's jaw, and he kicked the other two mice holding on to him, causing them to double over in pain. The bat tackled him from behind, but let go as soon as Basil elbowed him in the gut. Casting about for a weapon, he spotted the lizard's fallen sword and lunged for it, but stopped dead in his tracks as a bullet whizzed past his head. Looking up from his position on the floor, Lehman stepped towards him, aiming his pistol right between Basil's eyes.

"Next time… I won't miss," he said threateningly.

The other pirates, now recovered (and extremely ticked off) from his attacks, grabbed Basil roughly and bound his hands behind his back before pulling him up the stairs to the main deck. Blinded by the sudden brightness from the sun, Basil stumbled forward in a daze as they dragged him through the wreckage of the ship and tossed him into another smaller boat before rowing away.

Basil glanced back over his shoulder at the wreckage. There was a small island in view a few miles to the west; perhaps his comrades had abandoned ship and made it to safety. But if that were the case, he couldn't help feeling a sense of abandonment. He was never any good at making friends; quite the opposite, actually. But surely they wouldn't have just left him for dead…? No, most likely they just didn't realize that he was alive; maybe they thought he had been swept over the side of the railing by the waves or something. Whatever the case, they couldn't help him now.

As the small boat approached a larger ship, Basil's heart sank as his eyes fell upon the red sails. Of all the blasted luck… He had heard stories about _the Felicia_ and its captain for years, tales of deception and murder. Recalling them made him think that it might have been better for the pirates to have left him buried beneath the wreckage.

Soon he found himself being dragged onto the massive ship and thrown on the deck. As he fell on his knees, Basil grunted with pain and struggled to get up, but two pirates on either side held him down. But his blood was boiling and he refused to go down without a fight. Basil bit one of the hands that held him, causing the pirate to cry out. Then the wind whooshed out of Basil's lungs as the angry pirate's fist slammed into his stomach, causing him to double over in pain, but he continued to struggle anyway. That is until he felt the cold steel of a blade against his throat. As the pressure increased and he was forced to tilt his head back, his eyes widened as he gazed up at his captor.

Captain Padraic Ratigan.

Basil quickly took in every detail of the rodent looming over him. He was even more fearsome in person. He was a tall muscularly built rat, with gray fur with a lighter color underbelly, and long wild black hair that blew in the soft breeze. A dark red plume was stuck in the worn tricorn hat on his head. He was dressed in a long black coat with tattered edges, a brown shirt, brown gloves embroidered with gold, dark trousers, and black boots. A belt was slung across his chest, holding a pistol and a spot for his cutlass. He certainly looked the part of a pirate, right down to the gold earring in his left ear.

"You're only wasting energy, lad," the Captain said as he pressed the tip of his sword even harder against Basil's throat, almost breaking skin. He grinned, showing a row of sharp teeth. "Something you might need for later."

Basil finally ceased struggling, and as the sword was removed he hung limp in the grasp of the two pirates holding his arms tightly, hanging his head as he panted tiredly, trying to catch his breath. Pleased with his prisoner's response, he turned to his first mate. "Any others, Mr. Lehman?"

"No, sir," Lehman answered with a shake of his head, causing the feathers in his hat to flutter. "The others either perished or escaped."

"What a shame," the pirate captain remarked sardonically. He turned back to Basil with a sigh. "It looks like my plan to lead _the Intrepid_ into the storm to be destroyed worked only too well. I was looking forward to a little chat with that annoying Commodore, but we can never seem to meet properly. I suppose you'll have to do. State your name, lad."

When Basil remained silent in defiance, one of the mice holding him punched him again.

"B-Basil," he grunted, tasting blood seeping from his lip.

"Well, Mr. Basil," said the pirate captain, "I'm gonna give ye the same two options I give all my prisoners of war. One, I'll just spare us the trouble and send you to Davy Jones' Locker now. Or two, you can join my crew; swear allegiance to me and sail under my orders."

Basil instantly recoiled at the thought. It was bad enough being bossed around by the likes of an arrogant jerk like Grayson, but to take orders from a _pirate_?

"I'll die before I join a filthy pirate like you," Basil growled.

"The Locker it is then," Ratigan replied with a shrug, removing his pistol and aiming at Basil's chest. "Such a waste though," he added thoughtfully. "With that fighting spirit, you would have made an excellent pirate."

As Basil braced himself for the shot that would end his life, a loud voice called from the crow's nest. "Ship, ho!"

Ratigan rolled his eyes, lowering his pistol. "Where away, Mr. Smith?" he called.

"Two points off the starboard bow!"

Ratigan grinned widely, his greedy yellow eyes alight with the possibility of gaining another prize. "Well, Mr. Basil," he said, placing the pistol back in his belt. "You've caught me in a good mood, so it looks like you'll live to see another day. Perhaps some time in the brig will give you time to change your mind. Take him below."

The pirates hastened to do as their Captain bid them. Minutes later, Basil was thrown face first onto the floor down and a loud clang sounded behind him as they slammed the door to his cell shut. The two pirates snickered as Basil coughed weakly, struggling to sit up since his hands were still bound tightly behind his back.

"Enjoy yer stay," one remarked, causing his mate to laugh uproariously. Basil simply laid where he had fallen, closing his eyes and sighing in defeat.

However, as soon as the two pirates left, a smile crept across his face. Years ago, he had learned a technique to be able to escape if his hands were bound together. By holding his hands a certain way as they were tied, it allowed him enough room to be able to wiggle them free. It was a bit of a painful process as the rope chaffed through his fur and against his skin, but working quickly, he finally managed to slip out of them. As he rubbed the life back into his numb hands, Basil examined the rusty lock on the door. He realized that it wouldn't take long to pick, but he sat back down and leaned against the wall to rest. It would be easy to escape, but unwise at the moment. He would wait until the pirates above were occupied with engaging the enemy, and then, in the heat of the battle, he would try to get to the other ship.

His chance came sooner than he expected. Soon the sounds of cannon fire could be heard overhead, along with the shouts and battle cries of the crew. Basil leapt to his feet and in a couple minutes had picked the lock by using the prong of his belt buckle, then quickly and quietly crept up the stairs.

However, as Basil peeked up onto the deck, his heart pounded frantically. There was no battle… In fact, the other ship was passing right by them! As he caught a glance of the other crew and the Jolly Roger flying at the top of the mast, it was then that he realized what was happening. It was another pirate ship. Passing pirate captains often greeted each other by firing their canons in a friendly gesture or salute. That would explain the canon fire earlier. But he had no way of knowing they weren't firing on an innocent ship because he had no way to see outside his cell.

Basil muttered a curse under his breath, turning to go back to the brig before he was discovered. Unfortunately, it wasn't until he felt the butt of a pistol smash into his head that he realized he'd already been found out.

"Oi, look what I found, mates!" the pirate, a huge mouse with rotten teeth and wearing a green striped shirt said, hauling a stunned Basil up by his shirt collar to the point where he was dangling in the air. With a laugh, he tossed the smaller mouse onto the deck where he landed with a painful grunt. Once again he was tackled and held firmly in place as the Captain strode over to him.

"Well, well, Mr. Basil, you finally escaped!" Ratigan chuckled. "Though I admit I expected it wouldn't take quite that long," he added, earning laughs from his crew. "Have you considered my offer?"

Basil's ears flattened against his head as he renewed his struggles. "I will never associate with blackguard's like you."

Ratigan frowned, his hand straying to his sword again. "You'd best learn to hold your tongue, boy, before I cut it out and make you eat it."

"Is that the best threat you could come up with?" Basil retorted with an insolent smirk. "What's next, you'll make me walk the plank?"

Ratigan's patience was wearing thin, but he managed to hold his temper in check. "Y'know, the more I think about it," Ratigan said, "the more I believe that death wouldn't be a harsh enough sentence for the likes of an impudent cod like you. Therefore, I'm sentencing you to a lifetime of service before the mast. You will spend the rest of your miserable life on this ship, however short it may be." Ratigan nodded at the pirates holding Basil, who began to drag him back down to the brig.

"No, you can't do this!" Basil shouted.

"In fact I can, and I will."

"I won't take orders from a bloody _rat_ like you!"

There was an audible gasp among the crew, and they stared at Basil wide-eyed with mouths agape. No one dared to speak to their captain like that, without horrific consequences. Ratigan stopped in his tracks, fists clenched by his sides.

"_What_ did you call me?" he asked, his voice low and threatening.

Basil strained at his bonds as he spat out, "You're nothing but a slimy, contemptible, flea-bitten, _bilge rat_!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Uh oh, Basil's in for it now...**

**Gosh this chapter took forever to write... mostly trying to come up with dialogue... and I'm not very pirate savvy. I'm doing lots of research and learning new things though.**

**The pirate thug with the purple bandana, the short stocky one, and the lizard are all Ratigan's thugs from the movie. And the big one that found Basil after he escaped is supposed to be the big huge mouse from the movie at the Rat Trap who the piano player accidently hit in the head with his club **

**Oh and that thing where Basil slipped out the ropes by holding his hands a certain way as they were tied I remember reading about in a Nancy Drew book years and years ago xD**

**_Basil, Ratigan, Fidget, and thugs belong to Disney and Eve Titus  
Ray belongs to NightMagican  
Other characters belong to me_**


	3. Chapter 3

_Blood and Gold_

Chapter 3:

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Basil felt a stinging pain on his cheek as Ratigan backhanded him across the face, the force sending him flying backwards and falling to the deck. Basil didn't even have a chance to recover when he felt his body lift off the floor and slam against the mainmast. He gasped as Ratigan's iron grip around his neck tightened, cutting off his airway. He tried to kick at the pirate captain as he dangled in the air, but ceased when he was slammed into the mast again.

"I…am _NOT_… a rat!" Ratigan growled, shaking Basil with each word for emphasis.

If he weren't choking, Basil might have laughed; there was obviously no doubt that this rodent was a rat in every sense of the word. However, he wisely dropped the matter before he found himself in deeper trouble than he already was. "M-My mistake," Basil grunted, struggling to get just a small breath.

"Aye, and ye'd best not be makin' it twice!" Ratigan threatened, his sharp claws nearly cutting into Basil's skin as he tightened his grip even more. "Quartermaster," he added, addressing a big brutish mouse that was nearly a head taller than Basil.

"Aye, Cap'n?"

"I think it's time we teach this cheeky mouse some manners."

The huge mouse grinned, exposing nasty rotting teeth. "To the brig?"

"Nay." Puzzled, Basil glanced up at Ratigan, but didn't like the smug grin he saw directed towards him. "It's obvious the lad don't like it down there," Ratigan explained, "so we'll grant him his wish an' let 'im remain up here. We'll even give 'im a bird's eye view of the ship, let him see how we run things around here."

The smile faded, and Basil's heart pounded as he awaited his sentence.

"Tie 'im up on the mainmast. No food or water; three days."

"Aye, sir," was the quartermaster's reply before a blow struck Basil on the back of the head, causing him to black out.

When he came to, Basil found his hands bound together behind him along with a rope wrapped around his waist tying him to the mast. He pulled at his bonds but soon found it was a useless effort.

_Perfect_, Basil thought, letting out an exasperated sigh.

Looking down from his perch, he had a perfect view of all the activities below as the crew hastened to carry out their duties. As he carefully observed all the crew members as they worked, he recognized the ones who had first captured him and learned their names.

The first pirate who had spoken to him on the wreckage who wore a striped shirt and purple bandana was called Tom or Tommy. He was a thin, gangly mouse who wielded a knife expertly. He was almost always seen with the short stocky mouse named Jones. Though they bickered to no end, it seemed as if they were close friends.

The bat with the peg leg was named Fidget. As his name suggested, he was a shifty, sly sort of fellow with a wicked laugh and cruel smile and a harsh throaty voice. He was also deathly afraid of heights as a result of a crippled wing, leaving him unable to fly.

The green lizard was Bill, or "Bootstrap Bill" as some called him because of the large boots he wore with bright shiny buckles. He was an excellent climber, and was often seen scurrying up the ratlines and among the rigging.

Lefty, who apparently earned this nickname as a result of the hook replacing his missing left hand, was not very bright, but proved to be a hard worker. He also enjoyed recounting stories and legends of all sorts, particularly anything dealing with great treasures.

Of course there were many others who were in the employ of this fiend, but as the sun climbed higher in the sky, Basil found it more difficult to concentrate. He found his mind wandering. Less than twenty-four hours ago he had been swabbing the deck of the Intrepid, England's finest naval vessel. Now the ship was destroyed, most of the crew dead or missing, and he was a prisoner of the most notorious pirate in the Caribbean. How on earth had he gotten into this mess?

B_ecause you can't keep your stupid mouth shut, _that's_ why_, he berated himself harshly. And now, unfortunately, he was paying the price for it.

From this high position up on the mast, he was entirely exposed to the sun's rays with no refuge from the heat. Sweat dripped from his brow beneath his turquoise headband and into his eyes. He strained his neck trying to wipe his face on his shoulder, but winced as the rope fibers binding him in place cut into his skin.

The next day was even worse. By now he was feeling the effects of not eating, such as a mind-numbing headache and growling stomach, along with a parched tongue and sore throat from the thirst. How he longed for a drink of water. He searched for any dark clouds on the horizon hoping to see a sign of rain, but no such luck. At least occasionally a passing cloud would block out the sun for a few minutes, giving him a little shade. He no longer fought against his bonds as it only drained him of strength.

By the third day, Basil was so weak he could barely support himself. Instead he sagged against the mast, held up only by the ropes tying him in place.

Down on the deck, the first mate Ray Lehman surveyed the crew as they worked, pausing briefly to remove his red feathered hat to wipe the sweat with the back of his gloved hand.

"Hotter than Hades, isn't it?" came the Captain's voice behind him.

"Aye," the Danish mouse agreed, though he felt the fur on the back of his neck stand on end, unnerved by how Ratigan always seemed to sneak up on him like that.

Hearing a small moan up above them, Ray glanced up toward the source of the noise, seeing Basil slumped against the mast.

"Heh heh, almost forgot about him," Ratigan chuckled in amusement.

Though he didn't dare say anything, Ray couldn't help feeling a small bit of sympathy for the new "recruit." After all, he had suffered at the hands of Ratigan himself. More times than he cared to count. But Ray quickly shook his head to dispel the thought. That kind of thinking would get you in trouble around here. Besides, the mouse had only brought this upon himself.

Although Ray was curious about one thing.

"Begging your pardon Captain," he said, daring to broach the subject, "but what's the use in keeping him?"

Ratigan smiled darkly, glancing over his shoulder at the first mate. "Questioning my decisions, Lehman?"

"O-Of course not, sir," Ray quickly but respectfully answered. "I only know that you don't recruit just anybody into your crew. And this one seems like he'll be more trouble than he's worth," he added, inclining his head towards Basil.

"He just needs to be tamed, is all," Ratigan shrugged. "Once he learns his place, he'll be a valuable asset. It may take a bit of… persuasion," Ratigan grinned, showing those sharp canines. "But he'll come over to our side. After all," Ratigan added before walking back to the helm, "…_you_ did." The red mouse stood still without saying a word, not facing the captain. "Now get him down so we can make him a part of the family."

Ray knew what was about to happen, but he was glad to have something else to occupy his mind. He called "Bootstrap" to help him in getting Basil down. The poor mouse had no strength left to even attempt to fight; Bootstrap and Tommy had to practically drag him to the Captain's cabin as Ray followed behind.

As they entered, Ratigan stood in one corner of the room, prodding at the fire in a little stove with a poker. "Did ye enjoy it up there?" he asked his prisoner with a sly smirk. Basil didn't have the energy to answer. The only reason he was even able to stand was because of the two crew members holding him up by his arms. "You'll have to get used to the view of the ship," Ratigan continued, "because yer gonna live here the rest of your life."

Basil summoned the strength to lift his head so he could glare at the rat. "I told you before; I will never join your crew!"

"You no longer have a choice in the matter," Ratigan hissed. "I am your captain now, and you will follow my orders. You belong to ME."

"Belong to you?" Basil repeated, seething with anger. "I'm not some kind of animal, so you shall not treat me like one!"

"So true, so true. But you are still a part of my property now." Ratigan picked up another poker, the end of which burned a bright red and was shaped like the letter _R_. "I only have to prove it."

Basil's eyes grew wide with horror as he realized the rat's intentions and renewed his struggles to get out of the pirates grip.

"Where to place it?" Ratigan asked, mostly to himself. Basil swung his hand up during the fight trying to strike at the rat, but Ratigan easily grasped it in midair. "Here? As you wish." He slammed Basil's hand onto the table with his palm facing upwards, and then pressed the tip of the poker against Basil's wrist, burning the letter _R_ into his skin.

He had tried to brace himself, but the searing pain still caused Basil to let out a hoarse scream. He fell to his knees with an agonized groan, eyes squeezed shut so tightly that tears formed. Though the brand only touched him for a few seconds, the pain didn't subside even after it was removed. Once the pirates finally released him, he doubled over in pain and clutched his arm tightly, though not daring to touch the actual wound. He was almost thankful that his stomach was empty because of the nauseating smell of burnt fur and flesh. Even Ray and the others had to look away from the sight.

"As I was saying," Ratigan remarked, all humor gone from his voice as he glared down at his prisoner, who was trembling from the shock. "I am your Captain, and you _will_ respect me. Insubordination is something I _will not_ tolerate on my ship, so I suggest ya learn to hold your tongue and do as yer told." Basil grunted in pain as Ratigan grabbed a fistful of his hair and jerked his head up to look at him face to face. "Savvy?"

Although he hated to admit it, Basil realized that any further resistance was futile, and he had no choice but to surrender; although he swore to himself that someday, somehow, he would make that rat pay. It took him a few moments to catch his breath, but he finally muttered a weak response. "A-Aye."

"Aye…?" Ratigan prodded expectantly, gripping Basil's chin with a claw.

Closing his eyes in humiliation, Basil obediently answered. "Aye…_Captain_."

…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

**Yikes, that was a tough chapter to write O_o**

**I owe a HUGE thank you to NightMagican on deviantART for their enormous help in writing this chapter (the entire fic actually). Seriously, you ought to be co-author :D You are a LIFESAVER, and I really appreciate your help 3**

**And also thanks to the lovely Brinatello for proofreading it and helping me fix grammar and spelling errors! 3**

**_Basil, Ratigan, thugs, and Fidget (c)Eve Titus and Disney  
Ray Lehman (c)NightMagican  
Other characters (c)me_**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Basil didn't remember much after they threw him back in the brig. Only that he must have passed out from the pain and exhaustion. When he woke up the next morning, he was thankful to find that the pain in his arm had lessened from a sharp excruciating pain to a dull throb. The sight of the bloody "R" burned through his fur and into his skin still nauseated him, not only because of the wound itself, but also because of what it stood for. Branded; like livestock. Now, even if he did manage to escape, anyone who saw the mark would know who he belonged to.

He shook his head and sighed wearily, leaning back against the bars of his cell. But then another smell caught his attention. To his surprise, Basil found a piece of bread and cup of water near the door. True, it was a bit stale, but at this point he didn't care. He quickly snatched up the food and drink, downing the whole thing in seconds.

No sooner had he finished his tiny meal when the sound of footsteps reached his ears, and soon he was being half dragged up the steps and onto the deck, and was put to work with the rest of the crew. Luckily he knew what to do since he'd sailed under the Commodore himself.

However, as the weeks passed by, Basil found out that serving on a pirate crew turned out to be a bit more difficult than he anticipated; mostly because of the whip that the quartermaster kept cracking over their heads. The few times it made contact with Basil's back took his breath away, but thankfully he learned pretty quickly. So long as he kept quiet and did his work well, he would stay out of trouble.

Basil was a solitary mouse, so he kept mostly to himself; but as he worked with the crew he began to learn more about them. He stayed away from Fidget, mostly because the creepy little bat made him uneasy, as well as Tommy and Jones, whose incessant arguing grated on his nerves. Bootstrap was usually scurrying up the rigging or up in the crow's nest, so Basil didn't come into contact with him much. The only one whose company he didn't really mind was the helmsman, Justin, a young lad who, to Basil's surprise, actually seemed to admire and look up to Ratigan.

Basil rarely saw the Captain himself, which he considered a blessing. Ratigan had refused to let Basil have a sword or knife yet, as he didn't trust him, and certainly not a pistol. Basil didn't blame him, because if he had a blade, he wouldn't have hesitated to slip it between Ratigan's ribs while he was sleeping, or put a bullet in his brain.

One day, Basil was swabbing the deck for the umpteenth time, his hands and knees rubbed raw from crawling about all day. He paused briefly and straightened his back, wincing as it cracked loudly.

"Missed a spot."

Basil glared up at the source of the voice. It belonged to the first mate, who was reclining with his back against the mast, his feathered hat pulled down low; but not low enough to hide the smirk on his face. Basil muttered something under his breath, causing Ray to lift the hat and open his eye.

"What was that?" Ray asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Basil didn't attempt to hide the sarcasm in his voice as he replied, "I said you must have _amazing_ vision in that one eye of yours because I've scrubbed every inch of this hunk of wood— hey!" He had to jump back to avoid being hit with a wad of spit Ray directed toward him.

"Like I said, cabin boy," Ray sneered, "You missed a spot."

Enraged, Basil grabbed the nearest thing to him— which happened to be the filthy rag he was using to scrub the deck— wadded it up into a ball, and threw it with all his might at Ray's head. Unfortunately, the mouse had settled back against the mast and pulled the hat back over his face, so he didn't see the missile coming. Basil gave a satisfied smile as the rag thwacked against the side of Ray's head, nearly causing him to lose his balance and fall from his perch.

Enraged, Ray leapt down to the deck with a growl. "You'll pay for that!" Ray yelled, drawing his sword as he sprang at Basil. Since Ratigan had confiscated his weapons, Basil had to resort to grabbing the mop to defend himself. As Ray swiped down at his head, Basil used the handle of the mop to block, grunting as his hands stung from the impact of steel against wood. He jumped back as Ray swiped again, barely missing him, then swung the mop at Ray's head. The mouse ducked just in the nick of time and struck at Basil's leg, causing him to give out a sharp cry as the blade nicked his calf. Ray smiled darkly and continued his assault, driving Basil back.

However, Basil finally got a hit in and grinned as the mop handle made contact with Ray's jaw. Temporarily stunned, Ray didn't see it coming as Basil jabbed the mop into his ribs, causing the breath to whoosh out of him. He staggered backward a little bit and recovered just as Basil swung the mop at his head again, bringing his sword up to block. As he countered the blow, the force behind it caused his sword to cut clean through Basil's mop, leaving two halves in his hand. Basil jumped as Ray swiped at him again, rolling forward and landing in front of Fidget, who yelped in surprise. As Ray ran at him, Basil quickly grabbed the stunned bat's sword from his belt and blocked Ray's attack. Fidget backed away nervously before running away, his peg leg clonking loudly against the deck.

By now the rest of the crew had gathered around to watch the fight, laughing and cheering the two opponents on, even placing bets on who they thought would win.

"Get the little runt, Lehman!"

"Poke 'is other eye out!"

"Cleave 'im to the brisket!"

The two mice fought relentlessly, grunting and panting with effort as their weapons clashed together. Now that he was better equipped for the fight, Basil found it easier to parry Ray's attacks, and he turned out to be quite the opponent for the Dane. However, Ray was the more experienced swordsmouse. Basil leapt back to avoid having his stomach sliced open, but tripped over a coil of rope and fell down hard. Before he could recover, Ray kicked his sword away and pointed his own at Basil's chest.

"Looks like I win," Ray said, a dark grin crossing his face as he pressed the blade closer to his heart.

Basil glared up at the first mate, gritting his teeth in aggravation before lowering his head in shame. But a sudden idea struck as his gaze fell on the bucket of dirty soap water he had been using to swab the deck. With a movement quick as lightning, he snatched the bucket up and threw the contents into Ray's face.

"Agh!" Completely caught off guard, Ray spluttered and choked, clasping a paw over his eye as it burned from the soap. With his opponent temporarily blinded, Basil quickly took advantage of the distraction and hit Ray's sword out of his hand, catching it deftly in the air with his other hand. Hissing in pain, Ray stumbled backward and fell down hard on his back. When he opened his eye, his mouth fell open in shock as he saw Basil holding both swords crossed at his throat, pinning him down.

"Think again, mate," Basil replied with a smirk.

Hearing the row outside, the Captain, who had been trying to concentrate on charting a course, finally emerged from his cabin to see what all the commotion was about.

"What the blazes is going on here?" Ratigan growled.

"Lehmann is losing to the cabin-boy," said one from the crew piped up, causing the others to laugh.

"_HOLD KÆFT_!" Ray shouted back angrily.

"Is that true?" Ratigan asked, arching one eyebrow. The first-mate's face turned even more red in embarrassment. "You know very well that I don't want fights on my ship and that it's punished by what my mood now is to," the captain said looking seriously into the first-mate silver-grey eye.

"But-" Ray tried to defend himself.

"Is that understood, Mr. Lehmann?"

Flattening his ears against his head, Ray humbly replied, "Aye... sir."

"And you," Ratigan said, turning to Basil. "Stirring up trouble again? I thought you would have learned your lesson by now, boy."

Basil shook his head irately, pointing one sword at the first mate. "But he started-!"

"I don't care who started it, I'll bloody well finish it!" the rat yelled, snatching Basil by his shirt collar and swiftly relieving him of both swords before he could use them again. "Now ALL of you, back to work!" he shouted, shoving Basil forward. The crew hastily did as commanded, leaving the rat and red mouse alone. "Heh heh, maybe I should reconsider my crew, when my first-mate loses to the cabin-boy," Ratigan chuckled, tossing Ray's sword at his feet before going back to his place.

Feeling his cheeks still burning from completely humiliated in front of the crew, Ray retrieved his sword and placed it back in his belt. As he knelt down to pick up his hat, he glanced back at Basil, who was back on his hands and knees, taking his frustrations out by scrubbing the floor vigorously. He reluctantly admitted he had underestimated the mouse, who now posed a threat to his position; the only thing Ray had left. He would have to keep a closer eye on this one.

"This isn't over yet, cabin boy," Ray growled as he passed by Basil on the way to the helm. Basil glared back, his emerald eyes staring up into Ray's steel gray one. When Ray was gone, he sighed in frustration. The last thing he needed right now was another rival. Now he feared he had two enemies instead of one. Which would make escape even harder.

* * *

**Author's Note: Geez, Basil. Making friends everywhere you go.**

**Thanks again to NightMagican for your enormous help with this chapter. They came up with the idea of Basil and Ray fighting and a lot of the dialogue ^^**

**Oh and I thought I would surprise Justin by making him Ratigan's helmsman (that's who steers the ship XD )**

**_Basil, Ratigan, thugs, and Fidget (c)Eve Titus and Disney  
Ray Lehman (c)=NightMagican  
Justin (c)*ProfessorRatiganFan  
_**


	5. Chapter 5

Blood and Gold

Chapter 5

As the weeks progressed, Basil tried to become more accustomed to his new life aboard the _Felicia_. After the branding, he had grown quieter and kept to himself. If he _had_ to speak with one of the crew, it was with as few words as possible. He especially made sure to stay clear of the first mate; he'd already had one skirmish with the one-eyed mouse and wasn't eager for another.

No matter what he was doing, whether hoisting the sails or climbing up the rigging or swabbing the deck, Basil felt the Captain watching his every move. Even if the rat wasn't actually present on deck, Basil kept himself in check to make sure he didn't screw anything else up. He wasn't about to put himself in another compromising position.

What surprised Basil was that a few days after his fight with Ray, Ratigan presented him with a long knife. "I don't trust ye enough with a pistol or cutless just yet," Ratigan remarked with a wink, "so a simple blade will do for now. Ya clearly know how to use one, and ye'll have to defend yourself someday."

Ironically, a few hours later they came across another pirate ship and the crew hastily prepared for the impending fight. However, after sailing a bit closer, the ship appeared to be deserted, though it was clear that it had been attacked recently. After questioning the helmsmouse, the lone survivor of the attack, it was clear to the Captain who the culprit was.

_ Fane cel Rau._

Ratigan mumbled the name with a combination of respect and loathing. It wasn't clear to Basil who this Fane character was, but from Ratigan's reaction, they must have had some animosity between them. Once he had gleaned all the information he could, Ratigan gave the order to toss the mouse overboard, as he had no further use for him.

"N-No, wait!" the pirate cried desperately, struggling in his bonds. "I-I know where his hideout is!"

Ratigan paused, looking over his shoulder at the mouse with a glare. "What was that?"

"F-Fane's hideout," the mouse stammered. "I-I-I know wh-where it is."

"Do ye now?" Ratigan asked with a laugh. However, the smile disappeared in a flash as he whirled around and grabbed the mouse by his shirt collar, hauling him up to his feet and holding a claw under his chin. "Ye'd best be tellin' the truth, mate. I'd hate for ya to see what happens when someone upsets me."

The mouse shook his head frantically. "No, I-I mean, y-yes, I mean, I _swear_ I'm t-tellin' the truth!"

"Then quit yer blubberin' and out with it!" Ratigan shouted.

The mouse hesitated. "If I tell ya, w-will ya let me go?"

"I got a much more better offer," Ratigan replied with a sadistic smile. "Tell me now, and I'll spare yer pathetic life."

The unfortunate mouse gulped nervously, but shook his head. "N-no, I won't tell unless ya let me go."

Ratigan chuckled, revealing those sharp teeth. "Ye drive a hard bargain, mate; but no deal. Mr. Basil?"

Basil nearly jumped in surprise when he was called upon. "Aye, sir?" he answered, stepping forward.

"Now's the chance to make a real pirate out of you." Fidget hobbled over and handed Ratigan a bag, from which Ratigan drew out a cat o' nine tails. To Basil's shock, Ratigan held the handle of the whip out to him.

"Perhaps a few lashes will loosen up his tongue."

Basil looked from Ratigan to the pirate, who by now was quivering in fear. "Wha… N-No!" Basil said, taking a step back and looking at the whip in horror as if it were a snake. "I-I won't harm an innocent and unarmed mouse!"

"_Innocent_?" Ratigan scoffed, gesturing at the captured mouse. "He's a _pirate_! You think he would show the same pity for you?"

Basil didn't answer. In his short time with pirates, he knew just how vicious and unmerciful they could be.

"Now, Mr. Basil," Ratigan said, his voice taking on a threatening tone, "you of all people know the price for disobeying me. So unless you want to take his place…"

Ratigan didn't have to finish the sentence for Basil to know what would happen. Yet when Ratigan held the whip out again, Basil still shook his head. He couldn't live with himself for torturing someone like that. "No, I... I won't do it."

There was almost an audible gasp from the crew when Basil still refused. No one in their right mind would outright refuse to obey the Captain's orders. Ratigan clenched his fists together in frustration. It looked like he still had a thing or two to teach this insolent mouse. But he had broken mice before; this one would be no different.

"Alright then." Ratigan turned to the captured pirate, who flinched as Ratigan swiftly cut the ropes binding his wrists together. He was even more shocked when Ratigan placed the knife in his hands. However, the Captain explained as he pointed at Basil. "Kill him, and I'll let you go free."

Basil barely had time to draw his own knife to defend himself before the pirate was upon him, barely missing his stomach as he slashed at Basil's torso. They circled for a moment, watching to see what the other would do. Basil didn't want to hurt the mouse, so he wouldn't make the first move. He just waited, watching the pirate, who stared at him with wild frightened eyes, clutching the knife tightly in his trembling hand and clenching his teeth together in a feral snarl. Basil knew that look all too well. Even if he was a pirate, the mouse was terrified and desperate; a dangerous combination in a fighting situation like this.

Although as the fight progressed, his nervousness caused him to make more mistakes, and soon Basil had flicked the knife out of his hand. However, the mouse made a desperate lunge at Basil and tackled him, causing him to fall backward onto the deck with the pirate on top of him. Basil grunted as he struggled to get free, and finally was able to roll the mouse off of him. Basil had lost his knife in the scuffle, but he was swiftly back up on his feet ready to defend himself, balling his hands up into fists. However, the mouse didn't rise and lay perfectly still.

It was then that Basil noticed the red staining his hands and clothes.

Ratigan strode over and prodded the fallen mouse with his foot, rolling him onto this back. His eyes stared unseeing up into the sky, and his hands were clutching the knife buried deep in his chest.

Basil stared down at his shaking bloodstained hands. He'd never killed a mouse before. Sure, he'd fought in battles during his time in the navy, but Commodore Grayson had usually ordered him below to stay out of the way or to keep out of trouble. Never had he killed someone with his bare hands.

The Captain chuckled darkly, causing Basil to flinch as he felt his gloved hand on his shoulder. "How does it feel," Ratigan hissed close to Basil's ear, "holding life and death in the palm of your hands… _Pirate_?"

By now the shock of the incident was setting in. Basil's whole body trembled, his breath coming in short gasps, and he felt as if he were going to be physically sick. "No," he gasped, glancing back and forth from the body to his hands frantically. "N-No, I… I-I didn't mean to, it was an accident!"

"Nevertheless, the cat's out of the bag, Mr. Basil," Ratigan replied with a dark look, causing Basil to back away slowly as he uncoiled the whip. "You've just robbed me of a possible link to finding my most hated enemy. And if you had simply followed my orders to begin with, none of this would have happened."

At a nod from the Captain, two crew members grabbed Basil and pushed him forward against the mast. Basil, still too shocked to react, couldn't find the will to fight as they bound his hands above his head. He shivered when he felt the cool evening air on his fur as they ripped the back of his shirt open, exposing his bare back.

"You've brought this on your own head, boy," Ratigan remarked, "so you'll pay the consequences."

As Ratigan lifted the whip high, Basil braced himself, but nothing happened. He chanced a glance over his shoulder and was surprised to see that Ray had stepped between him and Ratigan.

"Out of the way," the Captain growled, "unless you want to share his fate!"

"Captain," Ray dared to reply, standing his ground, "this is too much. You're going to break him beyond repair—"

"_That's an order!"_

Ray cringed at the outburst and finally retreated back a few steps. But instead of bringing the whip down as expected, Ratigan chuckled darkly and turned back to his first mate.

"Maybe you should teach him a lesson, Lehmann. You know, be a good example." Ratigan then put the whip in Ray's hand.

"B-But sir—!"

"Whip, or be whipped," Ratigan threatened.

Ray looked back at Basil, who had turned back around and hung his head, shoulders tensed as he braced himself for the blow. Ray hesitated one moment more, knowing the pain of the lash all too well and hating himself for dealing out such punishment to another mouse. But he set his jaw determinedly, gripping the stock of the whip tightly as he brought it down across Basil's back.

During his brief time in the navy, Basil had received a few swift lashes reprimanding him for disobedience or rebellion or back-talking to the Commodore. But that had happened on only three occasions, and he had never received more than four or five lashes at a time. Nothing compared to the punishment he was receiving now.

The first two strokes Basil took in silence, biting his lip to keep from crying out. He didn't want to give that _rat_ the satisfaction. However, by the fifth lash, he was grunting and groaning in pain, and felt his legs begin to give out from beneath him.

_Six_… Basil thought Ray must be enjoying his revenge, although if he could have seen the Dane's expression he would have known that wasn't the case…

_Seven_… He deserved this anyway; killer, murderer, _pirate_…

_Eight_... Was this pain ever going to end?

By now Basil was crying out in agony, each stroke more excruciating than the last. By the time the dozen lashes were dealt out, it felt as if his flesh was on fire. When it was over Ray was trembling himself, panting from the effort, and he turned away from the scene, disgusted with himself for what he'd done.

When they freed him, Basil sank to his knees with a strained groan, shuddering as he felt blood running down his back. He flinched when Ratigan walked near him.

"That's two strikes, Basil," the Captain warned. "Don't test me again."

Basil was too weak to even reply, so he simply nodded his head in defeat.

"Get this thing off my ship," Ratigan instructed the crew, inclining his head at the dead mouse lying on the deck.

Basil didn't dare watch as the body was tossed overboard. Once it was done, the crew dispersed and finished the few tasks remaining before turning in for the night. Basil tried to get up, but as soon as he made a major movement pain would hit, causing him to choke back a groan as he arched his back in pain. No one reprimanded him, so he just sat there for a while, leaning against the mast while the scene replayed itself over and over in his mind, the guilt of what he had done eating him alive.

A while later, after making sure everything was secure for the night, Ray returned above deck for some air, as well as check on Basil to ease his guilty conscience. What he saw made him feel even worse. It looked like Basil had found the strength to get to his feet, but only made it a few steps to the side of the ship where he was vomiting over the railing.

Basil groaned as he sagged against the railing and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sight of those dead eyes… And the blood, all that blood, still staining his hands and shirt… He felt so dirty, contaminated…

Basil tensed as he heard footsteps approaching from behind him. _Just leave me in peace_, he thought tiredly, expecting to see Ratigan coming to gloat or something. Instead he looked up to see Ray, who averted his eyes when Basil glared at him. They stood in silence for some time, staring out over the moonlit waves, each mouse lost in his own thoughts.

Ray glanced at the mouse beside him out of the corner of his eye, trying to decide what to say, if anything at all. "I know you won't believe me," he finally remarked quietly, "but I'm sorry. I truly am."

Basil didn't even acknowledge the Danish mouse's presence.

"Basil—" Ray prodded.

"I don't need your apology," Basil hissed, turning away, but wincing in pain when he moved to quickly. He stumbled and nearly fell to his knees, but Ray quickly reached out and caught him.

"Here, let me help you," Ray said, placing his hands under Basil's arm to support him, but Basil pushed him away.

"D-Don't you think you've… d-done enough?" Basil replied through gritted teeth, his nails digging into the wood grain as he tried not to groan.

Ray's ears lowered and he turned away, unable to look at the damage he had caused.

"Just trying to help," Ray muttered.

"I said I don't need your bloody help!" Basil retorted angrily. "Besides," he said more quietly. "I deserve to suffer; I'm a murderer."

"You were defending yourself," Ray gently replied. "That's the life of a pirate. The basic instinct to survive. It's either kill or be killed."

"Whip, or be whipped," Basil muttered, quoting Ratigan.

Ray stiffened, clutching the railing in his hands. "You know as well as I do what that r—what Ratigan will do when you refuse to follow orders. It took me years to get on his good side, and I'll not compromise my position."

"So why did you even bother to stand up to him in the first place?"

"I just…" _I don't want to see him break another mouse like he did me_. "I-I know from experience that the Captain takes pleasure in stripping flesh from bone."

"So I'm supposed to be grateful, is that it?"

Ray didn't know how to respond. "I-It was your own fault!" he stuttered. "You didn't obey, you pay!"

"_My_ fault?!" Basil growled indignantly. "Just because _you_ chose to be a pirate it doesn't mean that I'll do the same! What do you know about being forced to do things that is against you're nature?!" Before he said or did anything to get himself in more trouble, Basil retreated below deck.

"More than you think," Ray replied quietly after he had gone.

* * *

**Author's Notes: My word, what have I written O.o**

**So. I don't really know what to say about this one. I guess the main reason for such a grusome chapter is that Ratigan is trying to break Basil in every way possible, physically _and_ mentally (He's already succeeded with Ray). Ray knows what Basil's going through, so he feels sorry for him, but he's also so scared of Ratigan that he's afraid to disobey him because he knows what will happen if he does.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys forgive me for doing this to poor Basil and Ray ^^'**

**A HUGE thank you to NightMagican for all his help in writing this, especially this scene because it was SO difficult.**

**Fun fact: The phrase "the cat's out of the bag" comes from the cat o' nine tails, which was kept in a bag. So whenever it was taken out of the bag, that meant someone had to be punished. **

**I think I heard that on the commentary of POTC: Dead's Man Chest ^^**

**Basil and Ratigan (c)Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Ray (c) =NightMagican**  
**Fane (c) Me**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Days later, Basil was still having nightmares about the pirate he killed. He couldn't shut his eyes without seeing the dead mouse staring up at him blankly, clutching the bloody knife buried deep in his chest. Even in his waking moments, doing his work around the ship, the mouse haunted his thoughts.

On top of that, his back was killing him. Instead of healing, the burning pain only grew worse each day. He couldn't reach the wounds himself, and besides, he had nothing with which to try to clean them or to bandage them. All he had to his name was the clothes on his back and shoes on his feet. He tried to bare the pain as best he could or even ignore it altogether, but it was beginning to affect his performance in carrying out his duties on the ship.

The last straw came while he was helping another mouse push one of the heavy cannons across the deck. As he strained against the weight of the canon, the movement made the pain suddenly flare up in his back, causing him to collapse onto his hands and knees with a groan. Without his support, the cannon rolled back onto the other mouse's foot, who yelped in pain and hopped around on one foot for a few moments. It might have been a comical sight if the mouse hadn't hobbled back over to Basil and hauled him to his feet by the scruff of his neck.

"I'll teach you, you pathetic whelp!" the mouse growled, pulling his fist back to strike Basil. He didn't even attempt to defend himself this time since all it seemed to do was get him into more trouble; he only braced himself for the blow.

Luckily Ray had seen all this and hastily intervened. "That's enough!" he shouted, causing the mouse to drop Basil once he realized he'd been caught. "Mr. Flynn, you have no authority on this ship, so you will leave the disciplining to me and the Captain. Understood?"

"Aye, sir," Flynn replied sullenly.

"Good. Then get back to work!"

Flynn threw one last glare at Basil before returning to his task. Basil also rose shakily to his feet, wincing as he did so. Ray watched as he staggered forward, but then grew concerned as he spotted the wounds through Basil's tattered shirt.

"Mr. Basil, come with me," Ray instructed.

"Y-Yes sir," Basil replied tiredly, wondering what his punishment would be this time.

Basil followed the first mate down the stairs to his private cabin, which was smaller than the Captain's, but still nice. One small bed sat against one wall, along with a hammock hanging in the corner; the other furniture consisted of a side table, a desk and chair, and some chests and shelves of books and charts.

As they entered, Basil gulped as Ray closed the door behind them. He stood at attention, not willing to show any fear, though he dreaded whatever was coming to him.

"Have a seat," Ray instructed.

Expecting Ray to take the seat at the desk, Basil sat at the foot of the bed, leaning forward slightly so he wouldn't get any blood on the sheets. He watched in confusion as Ray went over to one of the chests and took out a bottle of rum and some white linen. Basil tensed up and closed his eyes as Ray sat down beside him.

The first mate grimaced as he saw the wounds up close; they were definitely infected. He carefully pulled the remains of Basil's tattered shirt away from the cuts, causing Basil to flinch. Ray felt a pang of guilt as he noticed Basil was shivering.

"It's alright," Ray remarked quietly, putting a hand on Basil's shoulder. "This will sting, but I promise it will help."

Confused, Basil glanced over his shoulder to see Ray open the bottle of rum, and then realized what he was about to do. He gritted his teeth and clutched the side of the bed tightly. When Ray poured the rum out, Basil hissed in pain as the alcohol made contact with his wounds. Ray carefully cleaned the cuts as best he could with the few materials he had, trying to at least stop the bleeding.

"Why do you insist on helping me?" Basil suddenly asked as he lifted his arms while Ray began to wrap a bandage around his torso.

"It's my job to look after the security and welfare on the ship," Ray replied with a shrug.

Basil couldn't help a small chuckle as he thought of all that had happened to him since he'd come on the ship. "Then you're not best for the job," Basil said, turning his head back to face the first mate with a sarcastic smile that Ray returned.

"That will do for now," Ray remarked as he finished tying the last of the bandages. He shook his head with a sigh. "What we really need is a ship's doctor. Anyone hurt in battle ends up like Lefty or Fidget, and if anyone falls ill, there's not much we can do to cure them."

"You could ask the Captain about it," Basil said.

"It won't do much good I'm afraid. Once the Captain charts a course to his goal, it's impossible to change his mind. But it won't hurt to mention it."

By now Ray's shirt was covered in Basil's blood, so he went over to a chest on the other side of the room to get a clean one. As the Danish mouse removed his shirt, Basil's mouth fell open at what he saw. Scars covered the red mouse's back, and not just a few, either. Scores of deep jagged stripes across his back and shoulders; whiplashes like Basil's. He really was telling the truth when he said he knew from experience that the Captain took pleasure in stripping flesh from bone. It was then that Basil realized that Ray really had saved him from worse pain, and he felt incredibly guilty that he had been so hostile when Ray was really only trying to help.

"Thank you," Basil said quietly.

"You're welcome," Ray replied in surprise, glancing over his shoulder without turning around. When he saw Basil's face, it caused him to think of his own past, how he came to be on the ship. After changing into another shirt, Ray sat back down beside Basil, taking a big drink from the bottle of rum he had used to clean Basil's wounds. He passed the bottle to Basil too, but he declined at first, not wanting to just drink his worries away.

"It cure more than wounds," Ray replied.

Basil finally took a small sip and gave it back to Ray, his throat burning from the strong drink. However, Ray took another large swig.

Basil shook his head as he recalled those scars, thinking of what Ray must have suffered through over the years. "I thought I had a lot of scars, but not after seeing you," he remarked.

Ray, already a tad bit drunk, chuckled in response. "Heh, if you think _that's_ bad, then you should see the Captain." He put the bottle to his mouth again, not noticing the look of shock on Basil's face.

"_What?_"

Ray choked as the rum almost went down the wrong pipe. He shouldn't have said that. He hastily clapped a hand over Basil's mouth and glanced about furtively, afraid someone had overheard. After taking a look outside the door to make sure nobody was listening, Ray lowered his voice as he explained to Basil.

"I've had to patch up the Captain several times after a battle; that is, when he'll let me; so I've seen his own scars. And years ago, I overheard Ratigan speaking with his other first mate, Oliver Loran, in his cabin. I don't know if he was drunk or what caused him to speak of such things, but the Captain talked about his past when he was a part of Fane cel Rau's crew. Fane wanted to break Ratigan, and nearly tortured him to death to do so. When he finally escaped from Fane, he got his own ship and crew, and made a name for himself. Since he always have been number two and finally now is a captain, he wants to make sure nobody gets a higher rank than he, and he does that with fear."

Basil sat quietly for several minutes as that information sank in. It made sense. But this only made him wonder about the Captain even more. There was definitely more to him than met the eye.

"Who _is_ this Fane cel Rau anyway?" Basil asked.

Ray actually laughed in response. "You mean you've never heard of him?"

Basil shook his head.

"He's only the most feared pirate in the world," Ray replied with a shrug. "He sails the _; _the Bloodlust_. Rumor is that he captains a crew of undead sailors, and drinks the blood of his victims."

"Sounds like nothing more than a ghost story to me," Basil replied skeptically, though he couldn't help feeling shivers run down his spine.

"Oh he's real, mate," Ray replied, taking another swig of rum. "We've run across him once or twice. First time was before I was here. Fane took Ratigan's first crew and ship and threw him into the ocean, leaving him for dead. No one quite knows for sure how he survived that; but Fidget found him the next day washed up on shore. Second time he took Loran and several others prisoner, and we never saw them again." Ray went to take another drink, but Basil quickly took it out of his hand.

"I think you've had quite enough."

At first Ray scowled angrily, but then shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, I guess you're right." Going back to the trunk of clothes, Ray took out another shirt and tossed it to Basil. "We better get back to work, or we'll both be in trouble."

Basil nodded, carefully pulling the shirt over his head. "Thanks again, sir," Basil remarked as he stood to leave, grateful for all the first mate had done for him.

The Dane chuckled. "No need to be so formal. Ray or Lehmann is fine."

Basil returned the smile. "Right… Ray."

….

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Yay, Basil and Ray bonding time! :D**

**"_Det er nok_!"= "That's enough!" (er, at least I think it does... I couldn't consult with NightMagican because my internet was down ^^' )**

**Another huge thanks to my awesome cowriter for helping with this chapter (he came up with the idea and wrote most of the dialogue, I filled in the details) **

**For those who keep asking, Amber will show up in the _next_ chapter ^^**

**Basil and Ratigan (c)Eve Titus and Disney **

**Ray Lehmann (c)=NightMagican**

** Fane cel Rau and other characters (c)Me **

**Preview pic (c)=NightMagican (used with permission)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The long days continued to pass on the _Felicia_. Basil hadn't seen land in weeks, and he had no clue where they were. There was nothing but the sea stretching infinitely in all directions. They hadn't come up on a ship in days, and he wondered just what their goal was.

As he mopped the floor at the stern, Basil made sure to stay clear of Ratigan, who stood beside Justin, the helmsmouse. Basil noticed that the young red haired mouse was gripping the steering wheel tightly in his hands, and seemed to be almost trembling.

"Easy, lad," Ratigan said, placing a gloved hand on Justin's shoulder, who responded by nodding quickly before gulping.

In fact, it seemed that the entire crew was getting nervous about something. It could have been because of the thick fog that seemed to spring up out of nowhere; but they had sailed through worse before. Seeing Ray standing near the rudder of the ship, Basil eased his way over and quietly asked him why the crew was so anxious.

"We are close to Fane cel Rau's territory," Ray replied solemnly. Basil remembered all the bad things he was told about the pirate and understood their fear, though he still believed the rumors about the undead crew and drinking their victims' blood to be superstitious nonsense.

"What are we doing here?" Basil asked.

"I don't know," Ray replied with a shrug. "The captain won't let us turn around—"

Ray suddenly trailed off and looked off into the distance. Basil followed his gaze and gulped when he saw an orange glow emanating from the mist. The crew began to murmur as they got closer, fingering their weapons; but the Captain knew there would be no need to use them. He kept them on course, heading straight for the glow.

As they came upon the source of the light, Basil's heart sank as his suspicions were confirmed. A ship, or rather the burning pieces of a ship were strewn about the area, as if it had literally been ripped apart. The blaze illuminated the grim scene, causing the entire crew to fall quiet as they navigated carefully and silently through the fog, staring grimly at the corpses that littered the water around the wreckage. Basil grimaced at the stench of smoke and blood in the air.

"Looks like we're in the right place," Ratigan remarked grimly, though a sinister gleam shined in his yellow eyes knowing that he was hot on the trail of his most hated rival. He gave the order for some of his crew to take one of the boats and see if anything could be salvaged from the wreckage.

"Well?" Ratigan asked, pacing the deck restlessly when they returned. "Did you manage to find anything useful?"

"Not much, Cap'n," Bill reported as the others hauled up their small catch on board. "A few barrels of food, some chests of silver, a few pistols—"

"Imbeciles!" Ratigan shouted, causing Bill and the others to flinch at his harsh voice. "I only care about cel Rau! Ya couldn't find anything, not one scrap of a clue that might lead to him?"

"N-N-No, sir…" Bill stammered, gulping as Ratigan's claws extended. "B-But we did find _this_!" the lizard hastily added, nearly tripping over his own tail trying to get out of the way as the rest of the search party climbed aboard carrying another struggling, and very much alive, mouse between them. The Captain's eyebrows shot up as they dragged the mouse to him.

"A woman," he muttered, eyeing the captive with interest.

Basil's eyes widened at the sight. She was a young lady appearing to be in her early twenties, with dark tan fur, curly shoulder length brown hair, and wide chocolate brown eyes. She wore a simple white shirt that was tattered and hung off her shoulders, and a black corset along with a deep red tattered skirt. The pirates pushed her forward a bit roughly, causing her to trip and fall onto her hands and knees before the Captain.

"Now gents, that's no way to be treatin' a lady," Ratigan reprimanded them. "My sincere apologies, madam," he said, addressing the girl with an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid we're unaccustomed to having female guests aboard."

She remained silent, afraid to speak. Basil felt his heart twisting at the sight of the poor girl huddled on the deck, soaking wet from being fished out of the wreckage and shivering as she stared up at Ratigan in fear.

"No need to be so shy, lass," Ratigan said, trying to coax her into talking. "What's yer name?"

"A-Amber," she finally replied quietly.

"Tis a pleasure, Miss Amber. Captain Padraic Ratigan," the rat replied, removing his hat and bowing with a flourish. Basil cocked one eyebrow. For a pirate, he could be the perfect gentleman when he wanted. He heard Amber gasp at the rat's name, causing the Captain to chuckle. "So you've heard of me, eh?" he said with a roguish smile.

The girl only nodded. Basil grew concerned as she shivered again, wrapping her arms around herself. There was no telling how long she'd been stranded out here, and she looked as if she might soon go into shock. Ratigan, however, wasn't so sympathetic. Getting a bit frustrated with her silence, he knelt down in front of her. "Now Miss Amber, if you have heard of me, then I'm sure you know just what a busy mouse I am." She gasped as Ratigan took her chin in his hands, tilting her face up and forcing her to look up into his cold yellow eyes. "What happened here?" he demanded.

"W-We were attacked," Amber obediently answered, shivering in rat's grasp. "We were sailing for Port Royal, and lost course in a sudden fog that seemed to appear of nowhere. We heard the cannon fire before we even saw the ship. The crew tried to retaliate, but the fog was so thick they couldn't see the ship to fire at it. One of the blasts rocked our ship so hard that I fell over the railing into the water. By the time it finally came into view, our ship was destroyed and sinking. I clung to a piece of the wreckage and remained still, hoping they would think I was one of the corpses in the water. But I watched as the few survivors surrendered and were taken captive by the attackers."

Despite the tears springing to the girl's eyes as she recalled the horrible scene, Ratigan urged her on. "When did this happen?"

"About 2 days ago," she replied.

Blast. Two days. That scurvy parasite could be anywhere by now. Still, at least he knew they were on the right trail.

"And this ship," Ratigan prodded. "What did it look like?"

"I-It was black," she replied. "A massive black ship with black sails. It had a m-mermaid skeleton for a figurehead, a-and the windows at the stern were in the shape of a skull."

Ratigan felt a thrill run through his body and he grinned evilly. "Did ye happen to catch a glimpse of its captain?"

"N-No," Amber replied. No matter, Ratigan thought. Her description of the ship itself was enough to identify the culprit. Satisfied with her answers, the Captain finally released her and rose to his feet. Amber closed her eyes, wondering what he would do to her now that he had gotten his information.

As Ratigan pondered what to do, he heard the first mate approach. "Orders, sir?" Ray asked cautiously, noticing that the crew shifted about, anxious to move on from this place of death.

"The trail might be cold," Ratigan finally responded, "but we're closer than ever to finding the devil's hideout. We go on." Not missing the disgruntled and fearful looks from his crew, Ratigan stood at the helm where all could see him. "Anyone not willing to continue the voyage can hop overboard and join the corpses in the water." When they still hesitated, Ratigan drew his cutlass, eyes flashing with anger. "Do it y' dogs, or I'll send ye to the depths meself!"

At that, the crew jumped into action, and soon the Felicia was back underway. Feeling a tug at his sleeve, he glanced down to find the girl staring up at him with wide pleading eyes.

"W-Wait!" she stammered fearfully. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Hmm…" Ratigan pondered, hiding a smile as he placed a hand to his chin as if deep in thought. "Well let's see. Had I not sailed this way you would likely have perished, correct?" Amber nodded. "Then we're in agreement that I rescued you from such a horrible fate?" Blinking in confusion, Amber hesitantly nodded again. Ratigan grinned smugly in response. "Then that means you are in my debt. Have you any means of payment?"

"Wha…? No, I… I-I have nothing—"

"Then until you can earn your freedom, you belong to _me_."

"What?!" Amber exclaimed in shock, balling her hands up into fists by her side. "No! No, you can't—!"

Ratigan turned on her and she suddenly found herself pinned against the mast. "You think that the best response, missy? Telling me what I can and can't do on my own ship?" She shuddered as the rat's breath stirred the curls around her face. "Of course, there are _other_ methods of payment," Ratigan remarked, his voice rumbling in his chest as he leaned close to her face and stroked her cheek, "should you be willing to pay the price."

"Never," she whispered in terror, turning her head away.

"Then that settles it." With a devious smile, Ratigan removed his hands and stood up to his full height. "Welcome aboard the _Felicia_, Miss Amber." Inclining his head at Jones and Tommy as they passed by, Ratigan instructed "Gents, show the little lady to the brig." Amber gasped as they seized her roughly and half dragged her down below deck.

"This is wrong," Basil muttered quietly to no one in particular, though Ray, who was standing next to him, perked his ears down sadly in silent agreement. Unfortunately, the first mate wasn't the only one who heard. Before he realized what was happening, Basil felt Ratigan grab him by the collar of his shirt and leaned close to his face.

"Did ye have something to say to me, Mr. Basil?" he hissed.

"I…" Basil hesitated, but the thought of this girl being another prisoner of this rat made his blood boil. "You're just going to keep her like… like some kind of trophy?" he said indignantly.

"It's called the spoils of war, boy. And this is my ship; I can do whatever I want. Now shut up and get to work before I flay the hide off that scrawny back!" Ratigan shouted as he shoved Basil away, causing some of the crew to laugh as his foot got caught in a coil of rope, causing him to stumble and fall.

"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" Ray quipped, shaking his head exasperatingly as he walked over to help Basil up. Basil ground his teeth irritably, ignoring Ray's outstretched hand and staggering to his feet as he untangled himself from the rope.

The red mouse sighed as Basil stormed off. He hated seeing the girl become another victim of Ratigan's as much as Basil, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Still, that didn't mean that that rebellious mouse wouldn't try some harebrained scheme to try to help her that would inevitably get them all in trouble. He'd have to keep a careful eye on him.

…...

As he lay in his hammock that night, Basil found sleep impossible as long as he knew that girl was down there in the brig. Poor thing probably hadn't eaten in the two days since the attack, and the thought of her cold and hungry locked up in the brig ate at his conscience. She had suffered so much trauma in such a short time. Surprisingly, he found himself wondering about her; who she was, where she came from, who her family was…

A wave of homesickness overcame him so suddenly that it almost took his breath away. It had been years since he'd been there, but closing his eyes, Basil could still picture his home back in London. His father, a merchant sailor, had disappeared at sea five years ago, leaving his mother to care for him and his siblings. She had died two years later from tuberculosis. His brother Byron had a high position in the East India Trading Company, and his sister Brynna had married a wealthy businessmouse. Eager to leave the memories associate with the place, Basil found a job on a ship and sailed to the Caribbean, and eventually joined the British navy as a cabin boy. Never in a million years would he have expected that he would be where he was now.

_Pirate_.

As the memories flooded back from the day he had killed that mouse and the whipping, Basil knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. Slipping his boots on and making his way quietly past the sleeping crew, he decided he would risk it and check on the girl.

…...

Once the pirates had locked her in the cell and the shock finally settled in, Amber had buried her head in her hands cried till she could cry no more. All those mice, murdered in cold blood, and the others kidnapped and taken God knows where... This voyage was supposed to mark a new beginning for her, a new life in Port Royal away from the memories back home. A chance to start over. Now she was a captive on a pirate ship; no, _the_ most notorious pirate ship in the Caribbean.

After some time, suddenly the sound of footsteps reached her ears as someone descended the stairs. She heard the jangle of keys and the scrape of the rusty iron hinges as the door to her cell was opened slowly. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as they entered and soon she felt them standing behind her. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she was surprised to recognize the mouse as the one the Captain had threatened on deck earlier. Noticing that he left the door open, the thought of escape briefly crossed her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside, knowing she would never be able to fight him off. Besides, where would she go? They were in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. Instead she sat perfectly still, frozen with fear.

She trembled when the mouse knelt down behind her, but was surprised when he gently draped a blanket over her shoulders. He was careful not to touch her, but she still flinched at the closeness.

"I thought you might need this," he explained, his voice low and quiet, as if afraid to alert anyone else that he was down there. "I know from experience that it can get pretty cold down here in the brig, especially at night. I'm sorry the blanket's not thicker; it was the best I could find. Brought some food and water too," he added quickly, indicating the bowl and cup he had sat down beside her. "It's not much, but I couldn't let you go hungry."

She glanced up at him in confusion. Why was this mouse, with his mesmerizing emerald green eyes, showing kindness to her? He was a pirate after all, and she knew all too well what they were capable of and knew better than to trust them. However, this one seemed…different from the others. Kinder, gentler; certainly more civilized and well-mannered than the other brutes.

His ears perked up suddenly and he quickly rose to his feet. "I should go. If they find me down here, it could end badly for us both."

Although she hated the thought of being left alone again, Amber nodded in understanding. "Th-Thank you, sir," she remarked shyly, shivering as she pulled the tattered blanket tighter around her.

"Please, call me Basil," he said, giving her a warm smile before disappearing up the stairs.

As she gratefully began to eat the food and drink, Amber found herself wondering about this mouse called Basil and why he would want to help her. From the way the Captain had treated him, she wondered if he were in the same situation as she was. However, she wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Right now her sole focus would have to be on survival. And if possible… escape.

* * *

**Author's Note: Geez Ratigan, you and your mood swings O.o**

**So here we have a _little_ backstory. And yay Amber's appeared! (finally!) Up next: Dawson! **

**Thanks as always to NightMagican for the immense help and inspiration with this 3 **

**Basil and Ratigan (c)Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane cel Rau, and other OCs (c)Me**  
**Justin (c)ProfessorRatiganFan**  
**Ray and cover (c)NightMagican**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next day, Basil watched as two of the crew "escorted" Amber up from the brig and brought her to Ratigan. She didn't know what to expect, and was trembling nervously as he towered over her.

"First, I have a little surprise for you," he said, removing something from his coat pocket. Holding it up, she was surprised to see it was a necklace. The piece of jewelry was very simple: a black silk ribbon with a silver pendant engraved with an elaborate letter "R." Despite her fear, Amber glared up at him.

"You want me to wear that like some kind of pet?"

"You should be happy to wear it," Ratigan remarked, appearing to be hurt by her comment. "It could keep you out of trouble. Anyone who sees it will know who you belong to and will think twice about messing with you. But of course there's always another alternative, if you don't like it," he shrugged, smirking mischievously.

Amber glared one last time before sighing in defeat, turning around and holding her hair up as he fastened the necklace around her neck. Once it was on, she never felt more degraded in her life. Basil felt himself seething with anger himself as he watched from a distance, although he was relieved that Ratigan hadn't chosen to brand her with the "R" instead.

Standing at the helm where the whole crew could see, the Captain got their attention and began to speak.

"Now gents, I have but one rule concerning our new guest," he began, placing a hand on Amber's shoulder. She tried to shrug it off, but he held on firmly. "She's mine; therefore, you are _not_ to touch. In fact, if any of you so much as _looks_ at her the wrong way, I'll have your guts for garters. Savvy?"

Amber glared up at him again, infuriated that he was treating her like a piece of property, while there were nervous replies of "Aye aye, Cap'n!" at his orders. Ratigan smiled at her in response, causing her to fume even more. However, the rat didn't miss the few mutterings and shifting of some of the crew. One in particular seemed to clear his throat as if to say something, but then thought better of it. Unfortunately, Ratigan wasn't going to let him off so easily.

"Did you have something to say, Mr. Teague?"

"Erm…" the mouse stammered nervously. "N-Nothing important, Cap'n… J-Just—"

"Out with it already!" Ratigan snapped, beginning to lose his temper.

"S-Some of the crew were thinkin'… 'tis bad luck to have a woman aboard, s-sir."

"Is that so? Y' know what else is bad luck?"

Amber jumped at the loud _crack_ that sounded close to her ear, horrified as the mouse fell down dead with a bullet in his brain. Ratigan returned his pistol to its place in his belt casually, as if shooting one of his own crew was a daily occurrence.

"Does anyone else have a problem with Miss Amber's presence on my ship?" Ratigan asked sarcastically. "Didn't think so. Now get ta work y' bloomin' cockroaches!"

The crew hurried about to do their tasks, tripping and shoving each other to get out of the captain's way.

"As for you, missy," Ratigan said addressing the girl, "you can make yourself useful with that bucket and mop over there. Just don't get in the crew's way… wouldn't want ya to get stepped on," he added with an amused grin.

Amber balled her fists up by her sides. "Now you expect me to clean this ship like a maid?"

"Would ya rather spend your time in down in the brig?" Amber repressed a shudder, hoping she'd never have to spend another night down in that horribly cold, damp, and disgusting place. She looked down and shook her head. "Then ya best get to swabbin'."

The captain watched with a satisfied grin as Amber fumed silently while going to get the mop and bucket. Normally swabbing the deck was a menial task assigned to Basil, but he needed something to keep this girl busy and out of mischief.

Speaking of the whelp, Ratigan noticed that he wasn't the only one observing Amber as she began her task. His eyes narrowed into slits as he saw Basil glance over at her occasionally while he tightened the ropes or hoisted a sail. Other members of the crew would watch her too, but they were looks of lust while she was scrubbing the deck on her knees or whenever she bent over slightly. He had to admit, she was a lovely thing to look at, and a nice change of scenery on the ship. But the looks Basil gave her were… different. Concern, sympathy… compassion. Even his first mate gazed at her sadly every once in a while.

"Bootstrap!" Ratigan called out suddenly. The green lizard slithered down from his position up in the crow's nest as fast as he could.

"Aye Cap'n?"

"I have a special job for you. You have a good view of the ship from up there on the ratlines, don't you?"

Bill gave an awkward salute. "Aye sir, got a bird's eye view, I do!"

"Good. Then help me keep an eye on the girl, make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. Basil and Lehmann too," he added. "We'll be making port soon, and I don't want any missing cargo. Understood?"

"Aye aye, Cap'n," Bill replied with a sly grin. "I'll keep a good eye on 'em."

After the lizard scurried away, Ratigan gave one last glance before heading into his cabin. He began to have second thoughts about keeping the girl. She could turn out to be a distraction to his crew. Or… perhaps he could find a way to use her to his advantage.

…

As Ray came up on deck to take the second watch, he was surprised to see the girl still mopping the floor at the stern. She didn't notice his presence until she turned around and ran into him. Startled, she jumped back and accidently hit the bucket of dirty soap water, causing it to spill all over Ray's boots. Amber's eyes grew wide with fright.

"I-I'm so sorry," she apologized desperately. Ray watched in surprise as she fell on her hands and knees and began wiping his shoes clean hurriedly.

"Hey, it's ok," he assured her, kneeling down and taking the rag from her. "It was just an accident. But… why are you still out here? You should be resting now."

"I haven't got any other order, sir," she replied nervously. "And I don't know where I'm supposed to sleep."

_Poor girl is scared to death_, Ray thought. "Come with me," he said, reaching a hand out to her. "I'll find you a place to be."

However, Amber hesitated. She'd seen the looks directed toward her all day by the crew… once alone, he might have other plans with her.

"It's ok," Ray said quietly, reading her thoughts. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Seeing the sincere look in his gray eye calmed Amber somewhat, and she finally took his hand.

"I'm Ray Lehmann," he said with a smile as he helped her to her feet.

"Amber," she replied, offering a small smile of her own. "Amber Lee Mus."

"Pleasure to officially meet you, Miss Amber," Ray said with a smile. With her hand in his, he noticed the blisters that had formed from swabbing the deck all day. "First we'll take care of these," he said with a smile, turning her palm upward to get a better look. As he escorted her down below deck, neither mouse had noticed as Bill had sat watching the whole time up in the crow's nest.

"We better keep quiet," Ray whispered as they descended the stairs. "If anyone sees us, we'll be in serious trouble."

Amber nodded silently, but the pendant around her neck made a little tinkling noise as she walked.

"Stupid necklace," she muttered, holding her hand over it.

Ray smiled sadly. "It's better you have that to show you belong to him. I— Mr. Basil got the 'R' a more… cruel way."

Basil… that was the mouse that was so kind to her the night before. He didn't seem like the other pirates… come to think of it, neither did Ray. She looked at the mouse curiously, wondering if he and Basil were here of their own accord, or if they were like her, forced to stay here against their will.

Soon they reached Ray's cabin, and Amber followed him inside. She sat in the chair by his desk as he cleaned and bandaged her hands. As he got up to rinse his own hands clean, she noticed a black hat on the desk beside her. Something about the brilliant red feathers appealed to her, and she couldn't stop herself from placing the hat on her head while his back was turned.

"It suits you," she heard him say, not realizing he had turned around.

Amber quickly removed the hat from her head, blushing in embarrassment. "It's okay," Ray said with an amused smile, walking over to place it on her head again and steering her towards a mirror. They both stood and looked at their reflection for a moment before Amber took a lock of her hair and placed it as a beard.

"Arrr! Now I'm a real pirate," she giggled. Ray's smile grew bigger and he chuckled.

"Nah..." he replied, removing the hair from her face. "You should stay the way you are. _En smuk kvinde_; a beautiful lady."

Amber blushed again and looked again at herself in the mirror. As they looked at their reflections, Ray's smile suddenly disappeared.

"You don't belong here..." he muttered quietly. "You should be home at land."

Amber hung her head sadly, feeling that chilling fear creep up on her again. "What will Ratigan do with me?" she asked worriedly.

"Ratigan is a…" Ray paused, as if searching for the correct English word. "…Collector. He wants to own what he can. Things, mice, power; everything. I guess you're just a part of his... collection."

Amber nodded, touching the pendant around her neck. "Are you a part of it too?"

Ray didn't answer at first. Amber tilted her head curiously as his hand unconsciously strayed up towards his collarbone. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead thought better of it. He shook his head and gave Amber an apologetic smile. "Well, let's find you a place to sleep," he said, taking his hat from Amber's head and place it on his own. "It's getting late, and I have to take the next watch soon."

Amber nodded. "Mr. Lehmann?" she asked as they went to the door. "You have to teach me something Danish one day."

Ray smiled mischievously. "Rød grød med fløde."

"Rod gro…graah… What?" Amber giggled.

"Heh, we'll work on it," Ray chuckled.

As they stepped out from the room, they were surprised to see Fidget hobbling quickly towards them. "Mr. Lehmann, Mr. Lehmann!" he said hurriedly.

Amber's eyes grew wide and she ducked behind Ray, afraid of getting in trouble for being seen, but Ray remained calm and in control. "What is it, Fidget?"

The bat looked surprised to see the two emerging from Ray's cabin together, but shook his head and pointed back in the direction he had come from. "Somethin's wrong with Basil."

Ray's heart pounded and Amber gasped audibly before sprinting quickly after Fidget as he led them to where the crew bunked for the night. Ray had to elbow his way through the crowd to get to Basil, who lay curled up in a ball on his side.

"What happened?" he demanded, kneeling by Basil's side and checking his pulse.

"He was moanin' and groanin' in 'is sleep," Fidget answered, "and Smithy, who bunks beside him, got mad cuz he was keepin' him awake, so he turned 'is hammock over and made Basil fall out and told him to shut up, but he didn't move. We thought 'e was dead at first."

Dreading the worst, Ray pulled Basil's shirt up and removed part of the bandages to inspect his wounds; sure enough, he could tell even in the dim light that they were infected. And even though his skin was hot to the touch and feverish, he shivered as if he were cold.

"Bring him to my cabin," Ray instructed, helping them to lift Basil up. Between three of them they carried the injured mouse back to Ray's cabin and laid him on the bed on his stomach. Amber followed quietly, biting her lip nervously as she watched over Ray's shoulder.

"C-Can I do anything to help?" she asked.

"You could fill that basin with some water," Ray replied. "We need to get these wounds cleaned. And there are some fresh bandages in that chest over there."

Amber nodded and hastily did as he instructed while Ray removed Basil's shirt and the rest of his old bandages, wincing as Basil out a painful groan. "I'm so sorry Basil," he whispered, feeling the guilt return. When Amber returned with the water and the bandages, she helped him try to clean the wounds as carefully as they could.

"We have to get his fever down and stop this infection," Ray muttered. "He needs a doctor—"

Ray was interrupted by a knock at the door before Bill came inside. "Captain wants a word with you right away, sir," he said gravely.

Ray gritted his teeth in annoyance. That rat had the worst timing…

"I'll be right back," he told Amber, rising to his feet.

"I-I—" she stammered nervously, looking down at Basil with worry.

"You'll be fine. Just keep cleaning those wounds and try to stop the bleeding."

"Okay," she whispered as Ray followed Bill and closed the door behind them, leaving her alone with the unconscious mouse.

….

Pausing at the door to Ratigan's cabin, Ray put his ear to the wood before knocking softly. He knew by now that the Captain could get very irritated when he was disturbed, no matter if Ratigan had called him. And the evil smirk on Bill's face told him that he was probably in trouble, but for what he had no idea. However, once the rat told Ray to enter, he carefully turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

"You wished to see me, Captain?" Ray asked. Even though it had been five years since he was brought onboard _the Felicia_, facing his Captain was always a nerve-racking experience.

"Status report," Ratigan simply stated, not even bothering to look up at the Dane as he remained focused on the maps and charts on his desk.

Ray stood at attention with his hands clasped behind his back, not taking the seat across the desk from Ratigan because he had learned the hard way not to do so unless instructed or offered to, and he spoke almost automatically. Being the first mate, he was used to responding to this command frequently and reported every detail to the Captain, everything from the ship's progress to the crew's performance of their duties to how low they were running on supplies.

"Very good," Ratigan replied once he was done. "You may return to your post."

Ray turned to go, but then hesitated. He always tried to avoid speaking with the Captain as much as possible and never brought up anything that might upset him. But for whatever reason, he decided to speak his mind for once.

"Um… there is one small thing, sir," Ray remarked as he returned back in front of the desk.

"Mmm," Ratigan grunted, not paying much attention and still leaning over his maps.

"I-It's about Basil."

That caused Ratigan to look up with a glare. "What of him?" he asked, frowning irately.

Ray took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He'd been anxious about bringing this up to the Captain, but now that he'd spoken, there was no turning back. "He is getting worse. The wounds on his back are killing him; if we don't get him to a doctor—"

"Perhaps you've forgotten, but he's still paying the price for disobeying me."

"But it's not only him, sir," Ray quietly pointed out. "Several of the crew are still recovering from our last battle, and we could use some medicine if someone were to become sick. We're running low on medical supplies, but what good are they when there's no doctor to use them? Pretty soon you'll have no crew left."

Ray tried not to be intimidated by the rat's glare, but he gulped nervously, wondering if he'd overstepped his boundaries. However, Ratigan actually seemed to consider his words and then sighed deeply. "I suppose you have a point," he muttered. "Alright, Lehmann. It'll be about a two day journey to the next port, so we'll make a small detour to restock and see if we can't find ourselves a physician."

"Yes sir," Ray replied with a brisk nod, trying to hide his sigh of relief as well as his surprise at the Captain's decision. "I'll inform the crew." But as he turned again to leave, Ratigan held his hand up.

"Just a minute, Ray," Ratigan said as he motioned for the first mate to return. "There's somethin' I'm a bit curious about."

Ray's heart skipped a beat. "Yes sir?"

"_The Felicia_ has had her fair share of 'recruits' over the years, though you and Basil have lasted the longest. But I can't help but wonder… what is it that's so special about him?"

"S-Sir?"

"This concern you continue to show for him is unusual to say the least. First you were both eager to hack into each other with swords, but now you're worried about his health. Why the sudden change?"

Ray opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted as Ratigan continued. "There's the girl as well. You've been getting pretty chummy lately."

Ray averted his eye, looking down at the floor.

"You're not planning something?"

"I'm not sure what you are talking about," Ray said confused. Like thunder Ratigan stood from the chair and slammed his hand onto the table, causing Ray to jump.

"You know exactly what I mean! After that little worm came on board you have changed. Is it guilt?" Ratigan said, moving from behind the desk and walking towards Ray, causing the red mouse to retreat back a few steps. "Do you feel sorry for what you did to Basil?" Ray winced, feeling that pang of guilt return from when he was forced to punish him. "Or perhaps you sympathize with him and Amber. Do you think they want to be your friends, just because you know what they're going through? Do you think they can get you away from this ship?"

Ray trembled as he suddenly found himself cornered, his back against the wall. His heart pounded in his chest as Ratigan loomed over him. "You are not betraying me… are you?"

"O-Of course not sir. I-I'll never betray you." Ray held his breath when Ratigan placed his hand on his chin, turning his head to the right to show his missing left eye.

"Good. Because you know what happens if you try to do something I'll not accept." Ray gasped when Ratigan finally removed his hand. "Stay away from Basil and Amber," he threatened. "Now get out!" Ray quickly went to the door, flinching as Ratigan's voice followed behind him. "It's an order, Lehmann!"

….

Basil let out a quiet moan as he came to, wincing at the burning sensation on his back. Sensing that he was laying on his stomach, he tried to push himself up with his arms to sit up only to find that he didn't have the strength to do so. He realized he was trembling slightly, and he felt so cold…

"Shh…it's ok," a voice whispered comfortingly.

Opening his eyes slowly, Basil saw Amber sitting on the bed beside him. She looked like an angel, her dark curls framing her face as she gazed down at him with concern. Was he hallucinating?

"W-Where am I?" Basil asked confusedly, his voice weak with pain. "What happened?"

"The cuts on your back are infected, and it's caused you to become sick," she replied softly, wiping his brow with a cool cloth, which felt very relieving to him. "Ray brought you here to his cabin to recover."

Basil sat quietly for a minute, trying to recall what had happened, but he only remembered collapsing in his hammock at the end of the day exhausted. As Amber continued to clean his wounds, he squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the pillow tightly, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out. Amber bit her lip nervously, knowing that he was in great pain. She felt horrified looking at the bloody cuts across his back. They looked like whiplashes.

"Did Ratigan do this to you?" she asked quietly.

"Y-Yes," Basil answered. "I was whipped for disobeying him, a-and he forced Ray to be the one to do it because he stood up for me."

Basil trailed off as pain overwhelmed him again, and he buried his face in the pillow to muffle his groan. As he gripped the fabric, Amber caught a glimpse of the "R" burned onto his wrist and gasped softly. The more she heard about this rat, the more terrified she became of him. And just thinking of what Ray and Basil must have suffered at his hands caused her hate for him to grow.

"I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"I-I'm fine… J-Just distract me," Basil whispered, trying to change the subject. "Where are you from? Tell me about your home."

"Oh ok… Um… I'm from Charlestown, South Carolina," she began, still cleaning his wounds gently while distracting him from the pain. Basil listened with interest, surprised with himself for being so curious about her life and wanting to know more about her. "I helped my parents run the inn that they owned. But…" Basil opened his eyes and felt his heart wrench when he saw her face grow so sad. "…about a month ago, the inn caught fire, and m-my parents…" she trailed off, unable to go on.

Basil's ears perked down sadly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, hating himself for causing her to bring up such a painful memory.

"I-It's ok," she replied, giving a small smile and wiping the tears away. "A-Anyway, I packed what little I was able to salvage and used what money I had saved to get passage on a ship going to Port Royal, hoping to start a new life. I guess… I guess I was really just running away from the horrible memories. Then our ship was attacked by the pirates, and, well, you know the rest."

Basil nodded. "I ran away, too," he replied with a sad smile. "My father disappeared at sea years ago, and my mother died a few years later, so my siblings and I looked after each other til Brynna married and Byron went to work for the East India Trading Company. He tried to get me a position in the EITC, but that held no interest for me whatsoever. So one day I signed up with the navy and became a cabin boy on the _H. M. S. Intrepid_. Commodore Grayson was obsessed with catching pirates, and we were actually chasing _the Felicia_ when we got caught in a storm and wrecked against the rocks. I got trapped under the wreckage, and the crew of _the Felicia_ found me and brought me to Ratigan, and he forced me to join his crew."

Amber looked at him sadly. "So you're just as much a prisoner as I am."

Basil nodded, looking down at the floor. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Amber continued to clean the cuts.

"Well, the bleeding is stopped at least," she said after some time. "Do you think you can sit up so I can wrap some fresh bandages around you?"

Basil nodded, and managed to raise himself up on his elbows. He winced and inhaled sharply, and Amber grabbed him before he could fall over and helped him into a sitting position. Basil felt himself blushing at her touch, suddenly embarrassed at being half bare in front of her. She felt her own cheeks burning slightly and tried to keep her eyes from staring at his slim but built form as she began to wrap clean cloths around his torso.

"What kind of a name is _Felicia_ for a pirate ship anyway?" she asked with a nervous laugh, trying to distract herself.

Basil chuckled. "The name means 'good fortune.' I suppose Ratigan thought it would bring him luck. Pirates are a very superstitious bunch."

Amber laughed in response. It was a relief for them both, being able to share a laugh like this. However, the moment was short-lived as Ray returned. Both mice looked up at him concerned with the wild and frightened look on his face. "Ray, what's wrong?" Basil asked.

"G-Get out."

"W-What happened?" Amber asked nervously, alarmed at the drastic change in Danish mouse.

"Just get out!" Ray shouted. "_Skrid! Skrub ud!"_

Basil stood shakily to his feet, pulling Amber along with him, knowing that Ray meant business when he lapsed into his native language. However, his failing strength caused him to stumble, and Amber had to put his arm around her shoulders to support him. After the two mice had stumbled out the door, Ray slammed it behind them and put his back against it as if barring anyone from coming in. Panting with effort, his heart pounding frantically and his eye wild with fright, he finally sank to the floor with his head in his hands.

…

* * *

**Author's Note: I feel bad for being so slow at updating... so have a longer chapter as an apology ^^'**

**The main thing I was worried about with this chapter was if I made Basil sound too... wimpy. But he did get a dozen lashes, and with a cat o' nine tails, that's like 9 times 12, so really more like 108 lashes... O.o**

**A huge thank you again to my cowriter NightMagican. Most of the ideas and dialogue in this chapter came from them, like Bill watching them from above and reporting back to Ratigan, the scenes with Amber and Ray, the part with Ratigan threatening Ray, him telling them to get out at the end, and even Amber's last name (Mus means mouse ^^). She stayed up pretty much all night last night helping me write this XD But I added just a little bit, like the scene with Amber and Basil, as a sort of surprise and a thank you ^^**

**Oh and "Rød grød med fløde" is a Danish tongue twister. If you've seen any of my Livestreams, you'll know how horrible I am at pronouncing it XD**

**_Basil, Ratigan, Fidget, and Bill (c)Eve Titus and Disney  
Amber (c)Me  
Ray Lehmann (c)NightMagican_**


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